Some cover ideas and the intro draft

Here are two idea's for the front cover that are probably not gonna make it, but it's a start, I'm playing with styles here.  The cover description is still taking shape as well.

The manual is coming along fine, playtesting has been a real fount of ideas and improvements.  The combat chapter is more or less finished, including close combat rules, overruns, fire groups, and different attacks, including cover fire, prepared fire, move and fire.  The other chapters still are in their skeleton form, being less important at this stage of playtesting.  The only other chapter taking form is the first one, the gameplay chapter.  Here is the first page of the gameplay chapter so far:

The extended Sequence of Play

Edited 23.5.2011

Initial Phase

• Weather change

Roll dice to check whether the weather changes: precipitation, wind speed and direction, visibility might be affected.

• Smoke and Fire evolution

Evaluate the influence of weather on smoke and fire.  Determine fire progression and smoke evolution: does fire spread? does smoke dissolve or spread?

• Reinforcements are prepared

Attacking player prepares his reinforcements and announces where they will enter, in order to warn defender of entry.  That way defender can keep some firepower behind for the new troops.  Otherwise defender could use up all his defensive fire before reinforcements enter the map.

• Air Strike resolution

Check whether an air strike occurs, as per scenario rules, and if so resolve.

• Off Board Artillery (normally in the beginning of the scenario)

If available, check for radio contact, if contact ask for spotting round, if spotting round fired correct and ask for FFE 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Rally Phase

• Repair broken down equipment

Equipment which broke down due to a original DR of 12 can be repaired by a successful Q roll by the unit carrying it.

• Replenish ammo at HQ

Units that are low on ammo or out of ammo can attempt to replenish ammo by moving towards the HQ and performing a replenishment roll (scenario dependant).

• Self Rally broken units

Units that are broken but not yet routed may attempt a self rally.  An original DR of 2 triggers a leader creation.

• Rally broken and routed units with a leader

Broken and routed units that are in the command range of a leader may attempt to Rally.  A leader can Rally up to two bases per Rally phase.  This number is increased with the negative of the leader rating: a Q4+1 can only Rally one base, a Q6-1 can Rally three bases.

Combat Phase

• Execute attacker prepared fire until all ROF are expired

Units that perform prepared fire dedicate all their resource on firing.  Units that have a ROF may fire repeatedly in this phase.  Units that fire during the prepared fire phase may not move during the same turn.  Units need to be marked after performing prepared fire.  It is the task of the defending player to place markers for prepared fire and ROF.  If he forgets the attacker can fire again.

• Attacker moves routed units - defender may perform opportunity fire

Routed units must (1)move away from the enemy (2)move into cover (3)move at normal speed.  They can be fired upon by the defender.  If routed units suffer a number of suppression equal to or above their Q, they are eliminated.  If routed units cannot move away from the enemy, they surrender.  The defender can use his ROF, and a marker must be placed once he has expended his ROF.  It is the attacking players task to place markers for prepared fire and ROF.  If he omits to do so, the defending player may keep firing.

• Attacker moves broken units - defender may perform opportunity fire

Broken units must move into cover, in a movement away from all enemies.  They may stop their movement once they are in cover for every unit in their LOS.  If they cannot move to cover in one turn, they continue moving to cover the next turn.  If they can reach cover using fast movement, they may do so.  The defender can use his ROF, and a marker must be placed once he has expended his ROF.  It is the attacking players task to place markers for prepared fire and ROF.  If he omits to do so, the defending player may keep firing.

• Attacker may move and may subsequently fire with any eligible unit - defender may perform opportunity fire

Movement and firing are linked.  A unit must first move and then fire, suffering the advanced fire penalty.  A unit can choose to remain in motion while firing.  Vehicles with the ability to fire may elect to move, fire and continue moving.  The defender may halt the movement at any time.  The attacker may not move any more once the defender announces defensive fire.  This includes changing heading.  The defender can use his ROF, and a marker must be placed once he has expended his ROF.  It is the attacking players task to place markers for prepared fire and ROF.  If he omits to do so, the defending player may keep firing.

• Any defender units still eligible to fire may do so until all ROF are expired

If after all movement there are still units that have not fired defensively, they may do so, expending all ROF.  A marker must be placed once he has expended his ROF.  It is the attacking players task to place markers for prepared fire and ROF.  If he omits to do so, the defending player may keep firing.

• Attacking player may fire with any capable unit, ROF does not apply

The attacking player may fire any units that are still able to fire, suffering the relevant modifiers for fire during the advancing fire and movement. Support weapons cannot benefit from ROF, they can fire only once.

• Attacking player may advance all units one base

All non-broken/routed, non-pinned/cowered units, whether they moved or fired earlier in the turn or not, may advance 1”, the side of one infantry multi man base. This advance may make a unit enter close combat versus another infantry unit, a single man counter, a piece of ordnance, or a vehicle.

Admin Phase

• Remove prepared fire and ROF markers

Bookkeeping segment where all markers indicating who performed prepared fire and who used up ROF are removed.

• Update the turn track

Position the turn marker, check victory conditions.

Presented changes after the 06/05 playtest

Kilian putting in his concealment counters

1. Smoke: size, turn per turn evolution.  requires write-up for wind change and therefore weather.
2. Post rout eliminiation: Routed unit that suffers one shot suppression > Q is eliminated
3. Movement: first move routers (units that must move), then broken units (units that may move) before anything else
4. Critical Hit: Mortar (and HE by extension) original DR of 2: Resolve infantry damage on HE caliber x2
5. Close Combat: Write-up for Overrun and Charge.  Requires ATM, Mines, DC
6. Rate of Fire: LMG -, MMG 1, Mortar 1, HMG 2
7. Low on ammo: Original DR of 11 means Low on ammo.  Another original DR of 11 means Out of Ammo.  Support units disappear - absorbed by adjacent units without any game effect.  Units can replenish ammo by visiting HQ if available.
8. Mechanical breakdown: Original DR of 12 means breakdown, requires a Q roll to repair during Rally Phase.  Original DR of 6 means broken down beyond repair - replace if needed.
9. Self Rally: Broken units MAY attempt self rally.  Routed units MAY NOT.

Playtest session May 6th.

We had another playtest session in the HQ club house.  A nice opportunity to put my new buildings on the table, as well as my as yet not completely painted river tiles.

The surface of the table is not ideal, but it does the job.  Here is the right flank attack developing.  A Sherman on the right has already been taken out by a Panzer IV on the hill.

The Panzer IV has been eliminated.  The two remaining Shermans cross the bridge and start firing on the units they suspect are hiding there.

Meanwhile, the left flank is a mess.  Every attempt to cross the ford and cut the wire is repelled, and there is next to no advance.

The tanks break through.  The one in front is about to be ambushed by a Panzerfaust hiding in the rubble.

After fifteen minutes of intense casualty taking, the CO has an idea:  let’s fire some smoke.

Look at my bocage!

I finally managed to throw together a few strips of bocage for our Normandy campaign, and I have to say I’m pleased with them!  Just a strip of plastic board, bit of hardfoam on top, sprayed army green, and used the hot glue gun to flock them using the wonderful thick flock from Woodlands!

10 mm bridge

In order to complete the 3+ meters of river tiles I made, I started working on the special features: a bridge for a ground level macadam road, a bridge for a raised earth causeway, and a lock.

First step is making the two bridge sides, and make them equal.  I went for a 7 mm height, to compendate for the unit bases.

A narrow strip of plastic to support the deck is glued in,

The deck is cut out too long, and then sandpapered to size so that the road to bridge transition is smooth.

Penciling in the road and river boundaries.  Using foam and card I build the river banks.  Tomorrow I'm basecoating and brushing the earth tones mix on.